Area Farm & Ag Headlines

Via PR Newswire, it was reported that Land O'Lakes released its 2012 financial results, reporting record sales and net earnings of $14.1 billion and $241 million, respectively.

Not only this, but the company returned $113 million to its members for the fourth consecutive year of returning over $100 million to its members. Additionally, three of the business segments achieved record sales and the Crop Inputs segment had a record earnings in addition to record sales.

The strong results in 2012 continue a trend of exceptional performance. The years of 2007 to 2012 represent the...

In a press release via the United State Department of Agriculture and the Farm Service Agency, Glenn Schafer, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting State Executive Director, reminds producers that the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended the authorization of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) for many Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) commodity, disaster, and conservation programs through 2013. FSA administers these programs.

The extended programs include, among others: the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program (DCP) and Average...

Minnesota West Community & Technical College customized training will host a Farmer Spring Break Conference featuring Dr. Michael Swanson and Ed Usset on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on the Minnesota West Worthington Campus. There will be two breakout sessions in the morning and featured speakers in the afternoon. Registration costs $89 and includes morning breakout sessions, afternoon speakers, breakfast, lunch and afternoon coffee.

During the next few weeks, stay tuned to AM 730 KWOA as Radio Works ag broadcaster Sonja Langseth will be catching up with...

University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center Integrated Pest Management Specialist Bruce Potter along with Ken Ostlie are seeking volunteers for a black cutworm pheromone trapping network across the southern half of Minnesota.

Involvement would include checking a trap on a daily basis for an approximate six-week period (depending on planting progress). If you are interested in participating, please contact Bruce with your name and the county where you would be willing to run a trap.

On February 11th, the Minnesota Farm Network declared Emery Kleven as its new farm director.

Congratulations to Kleven as the second farm director at MFN during its 30 years of operation!

Kleven was previously the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) President, and also received the Monsanto Premier Harvest Broadcaster Award and the Nebraska Associated Press Spot News Award.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (MDA) – Minnesota is looking for volunteers to join the “first detector” early warning system to help keep an eye out for new infestations of invasive pests. These volunteer “first detectors” make it more likely that infestations of emerald ash borer and other invasive tree pests will be found in early stages when they are easier to control.

Registration is now open for Forest Pest First Detector workshops to be held in February and March. The six one-day workshops will be conducted by experts with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), University of...

Congratulations to those individuals that participated on the Nobles County 4-H Livestock Judging Team at the Sioux Empire Farm Show on Saturday, January 26 th in Sioux Falls, SD. The team placed 9th overall!

The contest hosted 38 teams consisting of 4-H or FFA members located in counties and schools across IA, MN, and SD.

Great job Nobles County! Stay tuned as Radio Works ag broadcaster Sonja Langseth catches up with the participants on AM 730 KWOA!

The annual Farm Resource Guide for 2013 is now available via the University of Minnesota Extension.

This comprehensive guide includes a variety of very useful farm business management information.The front of the Guide has the most frequently requested information on Custom Rates, Rental Rates for various ag commodity, forages, bins and buildings, Farmland Sales and Rents and Pasture rental rates. Marketing information included lists the cash price probabilities for cash corn and soybeans for Worthington, Minnesota, since 1974.

You may be familiar with "The REAL story" as brought to you by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. This is a site which spreads the story of your local farmers, telling the R.E.A.L. story (mission to practice Responsible, Ethical Agriculture for Life). Nobles County farmer Bill has decided to share his, in an article from therealstorymn.com. His story is as follows:

Farming is one of the oldest occupations in the world, and it’s been in Bill’s family for four generations. His great grandfather started farming in Nobles County in the early 1900s, and his family has...

In a press release, Congressman Tim Walz released the following statement after being chosen by his colleagues to lead the Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry.

“I am truly honored to serve as a leader of the Conservation, Energy, and Forestry Subcommittee,” said Walz. “Our producers and farmers are good stewards of the land and we must allow them to do what they do best; feed and clothe the world. To accomplish this, we must renew our commitment to passing a long-term, five-year Farm Bill that will give rural America certainty.